Permapotes

Turmeric

Turmeric: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar

Culinary turmeric, Curcuma longa, is a tropical herbaceous perennial in the Zingiberaceae family, like ginger. Curcuma domestica is a synonym of its botanical name rather than a second species to grow separately. Turmeric also names the spice obtained from its rhizome, used for flavour and colour in many cuisines.

The rhizome is a fleshy underground stem, not a root in the botanical sense. It carries buds from which new shoots develop. Its branches have a duller outer surface than their bright yellow to orange interior. A cut reveals this contrast and explains the connection between the fresh plant part and the familiar yellow powder used in the kitchen. Both products come from the same organ.

Above ground, turmeric forms an upright clump of long leaves that are broader than those of culinary ginger. The elongated blades end in pointed tips and give the plant a lush appearance. Foliage is separate from the rhizome used as a spice. The above-ground outline therefore looks quite different from the small pieces sold fresh or the finely ground product.

Tubular flowers appear in an inflorescence accompanied by bracts. These bracts should not be confused with the petals of the small flowers they surround. The genus Curcuma also includes plants valued mainly for flowering. A flowering plant sold as curcuma is not necessarily Curcuma longa, so the botanical name remains useful for identifying the culinary plant among related ornamental forms.

Turmeric has an aromatic flavour with earthy, slightly bitter notes, different from ginger’s pungency. You can find it in curries, rice dishes, soups, sauces and marinades. Fresh turmeric and powder provide different textures and do not give exactly the same aromatic expression. It also adds a strong colour, sometimes noticeable even when combined with other spices rather than used alone.

Turmeric is a cold-sensitive perennial whose underground part can renew growth in favourable conditions. A dormant period may involve the foliage dying back without automatically meaning the rhizome has disappeared. Its interest combines a tropical plant form with a spice from an underground organ. This dual identity helps reveal the whole plant behind a familiar everyday ingredient.

Turmeric
Turmeric
Characteristics
  • Lifecycle : Perennial
  • Exposure : Partial Shade
  • Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
  • Cultivation Difficulty : Medium
  • Mature height : 60 cm
Sowing & Planting
  • Greenhouse crops : Not suited to the available shelters
  • Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
  • Sowing Depth : 1 cm
  • Plant Spacing : 15 cm
  • Row Spacing : 30 cm
Maintenance
  • Maintenance : Moderate
  • Water Requirements : Moderate
Other characteristics
  • Soil Type : Humus-rich
  • Soil pH Preference : Neutral
  • Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Pollination : Insect-pollinated
  • Propagation : Sowing